Other forms: cited, citing, cites
To cite is to formally name the source of an idea or a quotation. Cite a source, widely cited, cite the case.
In academic writing citing is compulsory and the failure to do it is plagiarism, so the practice does a great deal of work. Citation counts are used, controversially, to measure how much a paper mattered. In law, to cite a case is to bring it as authority. It also means to summon before a court, and to mention as an example. Note citation; and site and sight, the two homophones.
1verbciteTo formally name the source of an idea or quotation.
“In your essay, cite the book and page number for every quotation.”
2verbmentionTo mention as an example or as authority.
“She cited her long working hours as the main reason for leaving.”
cite is a naming of a source.
Also accepted in games: reference
Latin citare means to summon or rouse, the frequentative of ciere, to set in motion. Excite, incite and recite come from the same rousing.
Proto-Indo-European
*keyh₂-
Latin
cito — to cause to move, excite, summon
Old French
citer
English, today
cite
Built from
From Old French citer, from Latin cito (“to cause to move, excite, summon”), frequentative of cieo (“to rouse, excite, call”). Sense 4 is the original one.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA